No. 7 Texas faces No. 18 Oklahoma State on Saturday with the Big 12 championship on the line. The Longhorns swept the league, finishing the regular season in first place for the first time since the league expanded in 2012. The defensive line was the star of the show, representing a top-five rush defense during the historic run.
Conversely, Oklahoma State has the best running back in the country. Ollie Gordon II has rushed for more than 1,500 yards despite playing sparingly in the first three games. He’s the favorite for the Doak Campbell Award and a surefire All-American after leading the nation in rushing. The Cowboys were far less consistent than Texas, posting a 9-3 record in the regular season, losing by more than 60 points combined to South Alabama and UCF. But with wins over Oklahoma and Kansas State, the Cowboys have captured the moment against better teams.
Since the league’s revival of the Big 12 Championship Game in 2017, neither program has won a title. The last shared crown for both teams came when Oklahoma State won the league in 2011. Texas hasn’t won the Big 12 since 2009. With a win, the Longhorns can pass Baylor and Kansas State for the second-most Big 12 championships in league history, trailing only Oklahoma.
Stay tuned here for live updates and analysis from Saturday’s 2023 Big 12 Championship Game.